Video: Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution on YouTube

Fashion embraces so many arts disciplines – acting, dancing, designing, singing, speaking and writing. A little more than 40 years ago, Eleanor Lambert, a marketer of fashion, teamed up with Gerald Van der Kemp, a conservator of the Versailles palace, to raise funds for its renovations. Their philanthropic idea spawn into a landmark battle of American and French designers. During that era, the French fashion designers had more prestige than the American ones. This battle could be described as the “old school” against the “new school.” The French side included fashion designers such as Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro. The Americans consisted of novice but dynamic outfitters like Bill Blass, Stephen Burrows, Roy Halston, Anne Klein and Oscar de la Renta.

This showdown was attended by well-known celebrities from all over the world. While the French couturiers produced an excellent show, the American fabricators proclaimed the diverse appeal of fashion and diversity that was taking place in the United States. Not only did they step out on the edge with the designs of their clothing, they broke racial barriers by including approximately 11 black models out of the total of 36 chosen to represent America. Their parade of fashion even included some classic rhythm and blues from musicians like Al Green. In other words, they rocked the runway with the influence of the groovy clothes, movements and music that the ’70s birthed in America.

In 2012, Deborah Riley Draper of Coffee Bluff Pictures directed a documentary about this moment of fashion history. She titled and self-financed “Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution,” which cast some of the designers, dignitaries and models who attended the Battle of Versailles Fashion Show in November of  1973. This is an award-winning production that premiered at the Marche du Film of the Cannes Film Festival in 2012. It was released right at the 40-year mark of the legendary fashion battle.

On December 2 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m., Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution will show for one night only at the Amstar 16 movie theater on 5996 Zebulon Road. The general admission is $15. Terrell Sandefur, director and founder of the Macon Film Festival, will entertain during the event and moderate a discussion after the screening with Deborah Riley Draper.